Golden Knights Music Education Association

GK GALLERY – 1946-1975

The BSGK Album:

The Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights 1946-1973, 1975

The significance of this site is best described in the words of Tim O’Brien, Golden Knight, National Champion, National Individual Baritone Champion, and corps historian: These are the “…memories of the great benchmarks of the 21 years of competition – stories of triumphs and defeats, of sacrifice and hard work, and of long days spent together in the school basement – on buses and trains – on practice fields, in hotels and college dorms around the country – in the Newark Armory, the Jersey City Armory – the German Hall – Avenue C – Kean College – Ballantine’s parking lot – the Kelly Post in Union – and other places named Marinello’s, Singer’s, Kelly’s, and the Garden State in Wildwood – Rut’s Hut between parades on Memorial Day and Union City on July Fourth night.” This site captures those 21 years – and underscore why the Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights exist today as a most remarkable and successful alumni/family drum & bugle corps.

The drawing at left was created by Harold Davis, a student of the late Bobby Thompson – when Harold was 11 years old. Bobby was Harold’s first drum instructor. Harold relates that Thompson “…told me about Blessed Sacrament and gave me a Dream contest album…maybe 1959 or 1960. I played it all the time, practicing the [rudimental] bass drum solos…. I would draw pictures in crayon of some of the top drum corps. …I was visiting my Mom in NYC a couple of months ago [and found that one of the pictures had] survived. I marched with St. Roccos Cadets, then the New York Skyliners. I’m now a studio drummer, recording soundtracks for movies and for jazz and pop artist, including Les McCann, Stevie Wonder, Average White Band, the late Grover Washington, Jr., and others. I’ll always remember Mr. Thompson – the man who helped a poor kid from NYC!” Many thanks to Harold for sharing his picture and the story behind it.